2024 News

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Winners of the 2023 JRA Awards announced

On Jan. 9, Equinox was announced as a double winner for the JRA Awards for 2023. Equinox won both the Japan Racing Association's Horse of the Year for 2023 and Best Older Colt or Horse award. In the voting for the Horse of the Year award, Equinox received 293 votes out of 295.

The Horse of the Year title is the highest honor given to JRA-registered race horses and is selected by the Horse of the Year Selection Committee represented by journalists of various dailies and magazines.

Note: All information, including ages and race performances, are as of December 31, 2023, unless otherwise indicated.

■RACEHORSES

Equinox (JPN)

Video
Takarazuka Kinen (G1 - English)
Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1 - English)
Japan Cup (G1 - English)

Comments from the horse's connections

Owner: Masashi Yonemoto, CEO of Silk Racing Co. Ltd.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the honor of being recognized with the Horse of the Year award. Equinox’s two races in the autumn – the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and his final run the Japan Cup – were extremely impressive. In these, after enduring the intense summer heat, he exhibited further maturity and gave performances that could be only be called the picture of perfection. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude in recognizing all those involved with Equinox’s care, all those at the stable and the farms, and all the fans who gave us their warm support. With the debut of his progeny, I think we can anticipate, at the earliest in 2027, what Equinox himself was unable to attain -- victory in the classics.”

Trainer: Tetsuya Kimura
“I consider it a great honor for Equinox, a horse in my care, to be recognized as the Horse of the Year. In 2023, he was able to win on his first trip overseas and in his race in Kansai. Later in the year, in his two races in the fall, I believe his world-class performances were adequate in convincing his fans around the world that he was No. 1. From this year, he will, as stallion, shoulder the expectations of his fans. And, I believe that he will meet those expectations and that his fans can eagerly look forward to that day. I ask for your continued support of JRA racing.”

Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
“In 2023, Equinox gave us top-level, spectacular performances, for a perfect record of four wins from four races. In Dubai, he showed the world his ability and held his No. 1 spot in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. And, he demonstrated his true strength in the Takarazuka Kinen, the Tenno Sho (Autumn), and in the Japan Cup. He is a horse I will never forget. And I think his performances are something that none of his fans will ever forget, and no one in any way involved with him will ever forget.”

 

Best Two-Year-Old Colt:

Jantar Mantar (JPN)

Video
Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1 - English)

Best Two-Year-Old Filly:

Ascoli Piceno (JPN)

Video
Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1 - English)

Best Three-Year-Old Colt:

Tastiera (JPN)

Video
Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1 - English)

Best Three-Year-Old Filly:

Liberty Island (JPN)

Video
Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1 - English)
Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1 - English)
Shuka Sho (G1 - English)

Best Older Filly or Mare and Best Miler:

Songline (JPN)

Video
Victoria Mile (G1-English)
Yasuda Kinen (G1-English)

Best Sprinter:

Mama Cocha (JPN)

Video
Sprinters Stakes (G1-English)

Best Dirt Horse:

Lemon Pop (USA)

Video
February Stakes (G1-English)
Champions Cup (G1-English)

Best Steeplechase Horse:

Meiner Grand (JPN)

Video
Nakayama Daishogai (J-G1)

Special Award:

Ushba Tesoro (JPN)

■TRAINERS & JOCKEYS

*Best Trainer (races won): Haruki Sugiyama (56 wins)
*Best Trainer (winning average): Tetsuya Kimura (0.209)
*Best Trainer (money earned): Yoshito Yahagi (2,732,768,100 Yen)
*Best Trainer (training technique): Tetsuya Kimura

JRA Best Jockey (races won): Christophe Lemaire (165 wins)
JRA Best Jockey (winning average): Yuga Kawada (0.305)
JRA Best Jockey (money earned): Christophe Lemaire (5,084,761,000 Yen)
**MVJ (Most Valuable Jockey): Kohei Matsuyama (47 points)
Best Steeplechase Jockey: Shinichi Ishigami
Best Jockey (newcomer): Kanta Taguchi

*Trainers’ figures include National Association of Racing (NAR; Racing by Local Governments) and overseas race results.
**The MVJ is determined by points allotted a jockey for his or her ranking in four different categories for designated JRA, NAR and overseas races. The four categories are “number of wins,” “win average,” “earnings,” and “number of rides for the year.” The MVJ award is bestowed upon the jockey with the highest total points.

 

■JRA Equine Cultural Award

Winning work
Epitaph - The Light Trail of Yururi

Award Recipient
Atsushi Okada

Recipient Profile
Born in Hokkaido, photographer Atsushi Okada graduated from the Osaka University of Arts and obtained a doctoral degree in fine arts from Tokyo Polytechnic University Graduate School of Arts. Okada has been recognized with several awards, including the renowned 2007 Kimura Ihei Award (He received it in 2008), which is known as the "Akutagawa Prize of the photography world". Okada is also the author of many books and has hosted numerous exhibitions.

Overview of winning work
Drawn to the charm of Yururi Island, presently an uninhabited island off the coast of the Nemuro Peninsula, Okada was determined to preserve the memory of the island’s horses, left behind on the island and now disappearing. The work approaches the phantom-like island in a unique manner with Okada’s collection of dreamy, fantastical photographs taken from various angles.

Reason for recognition
The work wins acclaim due to the Okada’s candid conversations with the local people of their time with the horses, the photographs that come together like a poem, and the author’s enthusiasm and sincere approach in endeavoring to preserve the memories of the island.

 

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Results of the 2023 JRA Awards (Total Votes: 295)

Horse of the Year

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Equinox	293
2	Liberty Island	2
Total		295

Best Two-Year-Old Colt

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Jantar Mantar	288
2	Forever Young	7
Total		295

Best Two-Year-Old Filly

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Ascoli Piceno	163
2	Regaleira	132
Total		295

Best Three-Year-Old Colt

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Tastiera	260
2	Durezza	28
3	Sol Oriens	5
4	Champagne Color	1
4	Derma Sotogake	1
Total		295

Best Three-Year-Old Filly

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Liberty Island	294
2	Brede Weg	1
Total		295

Best Older Colt or Horse

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Equinox	294
2	Do Deuce	1
Total		295

Best Older Filly or Mare

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Songline	275
2	Stars on Earth	11
3	Namur	4
4	Icon Tailor	2
4	Through Seven Seas	2
6	None	1
Total		295

Best Sprinter

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Mama Cocha	226
2	None	43
3	First Force	21
4	Namura Clair	4
5	Remake	1
Total		295

Best Miler

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Songline	275
2	Namur	11
3	Liberty Island	5
4	Lemon Pop	3
5	Champagne Color	1
Total		295

Best Dirt Horse

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Lemon Pop	166
2	Ushba Tesoro	126
3	Icon Tailor	1
3	Derma Sotogake	1
3	Meisho Hario	1
Total		295

Best Steeplechase Horse

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Meiner Grand	279
2	Irogotoshi	15
3	None	1
Total		295